Battle Scars At New Years Eve
by FantasyTrain
Summary: Soon it will be a totally new year. Robbie is hurt, the kids are growing up, Sportacus can't stand still and Glanni is feeling hated. Will everything be okay until New Years Eve? Will Sportacus succeed in making everyone happy? Will Robbie keep calm and stay true to himself? Hugs, sports and firework for everyone! [AU]
1. Before you read!

I'm grateful that you want to read my fanfiction! Before you do though, there are some stuff you should know!

\- This is a direct sequel to the fic " **Christmas Was Supposed To Be A Happy Time** ". Some confusion may occur if you haven't read that one before you read this one.

\- This story is set in an AU (Alternative Universe) of mine. In this AU, **Robbie Rotten** and **Glanni Glæpur** (from the 1999 play " _Glanni Glæpur í Latabæ_ ") are brothers. They exist in the same universe here. But nothing is changed from the show/play.  
\- The brothers lived in LazyTown when they where young, but at one point **Glanni** and their mother left, leaving **Robbie** in LazyTown.  
\- They were both badly treated as kids, both physically and psychically.  
\- The whole LazyTown show and everything that happens are still 100% canon! Same with the Latabæ-play.  
\- Some year after the show ended, **Glanni** came for a visit, and shit happens basically (it's a bit more complicated than that but this will do for now - _wink_ )  
\- In the end, he decided to stay for a while together with **Robbie** in Robbie's lair.

Some other simple facts that can be good to know:

\- **Pixel** and **Stephanie** are 13 years old, **Stingy** and **Trixie** are 12 years old and **Ziggy** is 11 years old.  
\- It has been four years since **Sportacus** and **Stephanie** arrived at LazyTown

Please RR and feel free to ask if you're wondering about anything! See ya~


	2. CHAPTER ONE - The Couch

**CHAPTER ONE  
** \- The Couch

The next morning it was as if the storm had taken everything evil and bad and thrown it far, far away. Sportacus woke up early, long before the sun was even up. He had such a strange dream about that he was trapped in an igloo that just became smaller and smaller, and he couldn't get out no matter how hard he tried, and no matter how hard he pushed and pulled at the ice around him, and then it all became one big swimming pool, filled with popcorn!

At first when he awoke, he was confused, especially about waking up so early, but also the fact that he had not fallen asleep in his airship. He blinked nervously and looked around in the darkness before he remembered where he was, and why.

"Robbie!"

He turned quickly and let go of Robbie's hand, of which he somehow managed to hold in his own throughout the night. Robbie still slept, deeply. Sportacus could not help but smile. In the darkness, he could just make out Robbie's face. Sportacus relaxed again and stroked Robbie lightly on his hand. There was something about the man that he was attracted to, though he actually had not thought about it so much before. During Sportacus first time in LazyTown he had put all his focus on the children to protect them and get them active and give them energy, and Robbie had mostly been in the way. A villain, a person with evil intentions, a really nasty type, Sportacus' total opposite. But he was still a very interesting human being even from the very beginning, and in some way they had all started to move closer to Robbie and could interact with him in a completely different way now during the latest year. It was such a difference from when they first met, he and Sportacus. Now they trusted each other more, well, they started doing so anyway, until Robbie's brother came along and Robbie for some reason once again became isolated and gloomy, though not as angry as before, but still. It had been three steps forward and two steps back.

Sportacus sighed and moved a few hairs away from Robbie's face. It was so silly. Just when he and Robbie started to come close to each other, talk to each other, laugh with each other, and just when Robbie had begun to relax in his presence, something came in the way. It was as if fate had other plans for them both. Sportacus was just hoping that one day it could go back to how it was only six months ago. Like the day he and Robbie went and counted the lampposts, just for fun. They both had, someway and somehow ended up on a bench, laughing so much they could not stand up.

Sportacus could not help but laugh at the memory. But the sight of the poor guy on the couch made the laughter stop.  
"Oh, Robbie..."  
"... Sporty ...? ... "- Robbie muttered in his sleep, prompting Sportacus to smile big  
"I'm here, Robbie ... I'm here"

"Sportacus?"  
Sportacus suddenly heard Ziggy's voice over in the doorway to the living room.  
"Yes?"  
"Can I come in?"  
"Of course, if you're quiet" said Sportacus and put a finger in front of his mouth, even though it was pointless in the dark.

Ziggy ran up and sat on Sportacus mattress besides Sportacus. They sat there for a while, quietly. The only sound that could be heard was Robbie who quietly was talking nonsense in his sleep, something about cake. A blue cake.

"I had a bad dream ..." Ziggy said after a while  
"I could've guessed that"  
"Do you wanna know what it was?"  
"Sure, but only if you want to tell me"  
"I-I dreamed about a huuuuge skeleton... It was bigger than this house, I swear!"  
"Oh really?"  
"It was really huge, and scary! So I couldn't fight it, but instead I just hide from it. A-and then, it started eating my friends, all of them, one after another! Then it ate Robbie, which was quite funny, actually"  
"Is that so?"  
"And then it ate you! ... And I ran and ran and ran but it just kept following me and then- then I woke up! It's such a silly dream but ... I got scared anyway! Now I don't wanna sleep anymore ... "

Ziggy played with the buttons on his pyjamas and was ashamed. Sportacus calmly lifted him up and put him in his lap.

"It was only a dream Ziggy. There are no big, huge skeletons here, you said it yourself, it was only a silly dream"  
"Oh I know..."  
"Hey, you know what?"  
"What?"  
"I also had a bad dream"  
" **You had!?** "  
"Ssshhhh, be quiet~" - Sportacus hushed the boy in his lap and pointed to the villain in the couch. Robbie, however, continued to sleep peacefully.  
"Oh! Sorry! … So what did you dream about?"  
"I… Well... It was about snow"  
"That doesn't sound so horrible?"  
"Well, it was a bad dream anyway. You want me to tell you a story?"  
"Yes please!"  
"Okay! This is the story of The Cottager and his cat"

Ziggy fell asleep in the middle of the story, in Sportacus lap with his head against Sportacus chest. Sportacus sat quietly and watched the sun come up through the window. He was tired, but he couldn't sleep. He thought about what he needed to do now. Something had gone incredibly bonkers yesterday, he needed to find out what, and how, and why. If not to satisfy his own curiosity then to take care of two brothers who were injured, both of them! Sportacus sighed and rubbed his eyes with one hand. Life was a lot easier when it was just **one** villain to keep track of. Robbie moved slowly on the couch. Sportacus kept an eye on him.

It was just after 8 o'clock when Stephanie and Pixel finally went into the kitchen in their pyjamas, talking and laughing. Pixel helped to prepare breakfast, while Stephanie went into the living room to check on Sportacus. Ziggy soon woke up from their voices, and also he went up to eat breakfast. Stephanie said to Sportacus that he looked extremely tired.

"Thanks Stephanie..."  
"Haven't you slept at all?"  
"Of course I have! A couple of hours, or so"  
"So you're pretty tired now?"  
"Yep!" - Sportacus smiled from ear to ear  
"Do you want some breakfast?"  
"Oh thanks for the offer, but… I'll fix something later, I have some things I need to take care of first. You go and have something to eat."  
"You sure you're fine?"  
"Absolutely"  
"And…" Stephanie bit her lip, "how's **he**?" She whispered with a nod toward the bundle on the couch.  
"I dunno," said Sportacus with a heavy voice  
"Should you wake him?"  
"I guess I should"  
"Can I watch?"  
Sportacus laughed, "I think that would be a bad idea"

They both laughed. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Stephanie and Sportacus looked at each other as Sportacus quickly stood up. The adults would not come home until the evening. It knocked again, a little faster this time.  
"I'll get it!" Stephanie said when she realised that Sportacus was busy as it was, and rushed to the door. Sportacus could see how she opened the door a bit, looked outside and then suddenly looked back at him, before she quickly grabbed her jacket and her shoes and went out and closed the door behind her before Sportacus even had the time to react. He stood there for a while and looked after her, but she did not come in again. Then he knelt in front of the bundle on the couch again while the sun had finally found its way over the horizon and let the whole living room bathe in warm, fresh sunlight.

To wake someone who really needs to sleep is incredibly painful. You feel like a very mean person. Sportacus didn't enjoy the feeling of being a very mean person.

"Robbie? Wakey wakey! I need to check'y!"

He ruffled Robbie's hair (the part of it that wasn't in bandages) and shook lightly on his healthy shoulder. Robbie whimpered a few times, but continued to sleep deeply. Sportacus bit his lips, closed his eyes and then poked hard at Robbie's bruised arm.

" **GYYAAAHH!** "  
"Now you're awake!"

Robbie hissed and looked at Sportacus viciously with one eye.  
" **What?!** "  
"You're awake! … Sorry for waking you, but-"  
Robbie then closed his eyes tightly- "... Bright ..."  
"Huh?"  
Robbie put his good hand as a shield for his eyes - "It's too bright!"  
"Oh!"

Sportacus flipped quickly to the windows, both on the short side and the long side on the walls closest to them and shut down a pair of curtains at every window. It was so terribly bright outside, however, so it didn't help as much as he hoped it would. He flipped back and knelt by Robbie again.

"How are you?"  
"Ow… Ow..."  
"I know, just relax"  
"Where am I?"  
"At Stephanie's house"  
"What!?" - Robbie took his hand away and stared at Sportacus who was unnervingly close to his own face, " **why** am I **here**?"  
"I had to get you somewhere? Right?"  
"You… No!?"  
"Do you remember yesterday?"  
"I… I- **GAH!** "

Robbie was about to sit up when his left arm protested, prompting him to quickly grasp and hold on to his injured arm and plump down on the couch just as quickly. Sportacus put a reassuring hand on Robbie's healthy shoulder, Robbie froze.

"Robbie I need to look at your damaged arm, please?"  
"Why?"  
"Because you're hurt"  
"So what?"  
"I just want to help you"  
"I can help myself!"  
"Please?"

Robbie relaxed after a couple of long, drawn-out seconds. He studied Sportacus from top to bottom before he swallowed hard and looked glum  
"Fine ..."

He knew that Sportacus would not give in, so it was best to just accept it. With some effort and low key protests they both managed to put Robbie straight up on the couch. He leaned his head back against the edge of the couch with a hard grip on the armrest while Sportacus slowly looked through Robbie's injured arm, poking and bending it until Robbie felt like he was going crazy, but he kept quiet the whole time. Despite the pain it was kinda nice to feel Sportacus' warm hands gently stroking his own hand.

"I think your arm was dislocated, but it seems fine now"  
"And- ..."  
"And?"  
"And what does that mean?"  
"It means that it will hurt for a few days or even a few weeks, and that we probably should put a bandage on it around your neck to keep it steady" - Sportacus gesticulated while he spoke - "and that we unfortunately can't do anything more than that"  
"Marvelous…"  
"It could've been worse Robbie, I really thought you had broken something" - Sportacus got up and put his hands on his hips, smiling towards the villain.

Robbie looked up for the first time since he sat up, and then looked down at his arm, "so did I ..." he then stared at Sportacus instead and cocked his head, "will you take me back to my lair now?"  
"No, Robbie, I think-"

Robbie suddenly felt extreme anger of having been kidnapped and placed in **the** place he least wanted to be right now. He was ashamed and felt bad and sick and just wanted to go home, why couldn't Sportacus understand him? In pure anger, he quickly stood up and stared Sportacus straight in his eyes, just inches from his face.

" **I want to go home!** "  
"I won't let you do that right now!" - Sportacus got a worried look on his face  
"Why won't you listen to me!?" - Robbie exclaimed, more frustrated than angry this time  
"Because I really want to help you!" - Sportacus gently put his hands on Robbie's shoulders, Robbie shook them off as best he could, but began to lose his balance as he stood  
"Wh- … **Why**.. Why do **I**..." - He closed his eyes and fell slowly into Spartacus's embrace, but Sportacus was prepared and caught him  
"Woah, careful!"

Robbie clung to Sportacus clothes and leaned against his chest. Sportacus stood still and held him and began stroking a hand at Robbie's back.  
Robbie hissed - "Don't move"  
"Wha-"  
"Wait… Just… Don't move..."

Sportacus stood still. He could feel how Robbie's hands shook where he held him as Robbie swallowed a couple of times, while breathing heavily. Sportacus as usual was unnecessarily worried. He waited a few seconds before slowly and carefully putting Robbie down on the couch, and sat himself next to him. Robbie slowly released his hands from Sportacus, and put his good hand on his forehead.

"Why do I feel so sick…?"  
"You probably have a concussion, you need rest"  
"... How? … When? … I-"  
"Come here"

Sportacus helped a confused Robbie to lie down again, this time on his other side with his face towards the back of the couch. Like that, he could rest on his healthy shoulder. This also meant that Sportacus could take care of the bad arm a while later without having Robbie to sit up, plus when Robbie was with his face to the couch it wasn't as bright for him from the sun shining through the drawn curtains. Win-win-win!

Sportacus had just put a huge red blanket on Robbie (and noticed how he fell asleep almost at once) when his crystal suddenly beeped. Without thinking very long he could soon figure out why, when he heard screams outside.

"Stephanie!"

* * *

 **NOTES:**

And we are in motion!  
"The Cottager and his cat" is a real Icelandic fairy tale. I thought it would be cute if Sportacus knew some stories from his old country where he grew up.  
How do you do this!? Sportacus' ? Sportacus's ? Sportacu's... Nah. English is hard!

Please R&R ~


	3. CHAPTER TWO - The Anger

**CHAPTER TWO  
** \- The Anger

Sportacus just needed to take three steps outside the door to see what was happening. A good few meters away Glanni stood bent over Stephanie with both hands on her shoulders and shook her violently as he screamed something unintelligible to her.

"HEY!"

Sportacus quickly ran up to them. His voice got Glanni to stop shaking her, but he was still staring at her without a single caring about Sportacus. Stephanie sobbed slightly and stared with wide eyes at Sportacus.

"Glanni?"  
" **WHAT!?** " - He was still staring at Stephanie  
"Let her go!"  
" **No!** "  
"Please? … Why not?"  
"This brat, she deserves some beatin', she lied to me!"  
"Stephanie?"

Stephanie began to fight back - "Sportacus help me!"  
Glanni held on to her, if possible even harder, and gave a surprised laugh  
"OH so **NOW** you're weak and _fragile_ , huh? You were **SO tough** just a few minutes ago!"- he began to violently shake her again - " **WHY DID YOU-** "

"STOP IT!" - Sportacus had rushed up and held a firm hand at Glanni's shoulder, which finally led him to promptly turn around and stare at Sportacus with a cold stare. Sportacus felt an ice cold shiver in his spine - "Glanni, let her go, let us talk"

Glanni stared at Sportacus as if he could hardly wait to spit out more viciousness, but for simplicity he obeyed at last. Sort of, anyway, he lifted Stephanie and released her so that she fell to the ground - "Ow!" - Sportacus was quickly there and helped her up. Glanni walked with his nose in the air some meter away and was breathing heavily and seemed furious while he mumbled something inaudible to himself, something about self-restraint and upbringing.

"What happened here?" Sportacus asked while Stephanie half-took cover behind him and rubbed her sore arms.  
"She lied to me! She's a brat, she needs to learn her consequences! I came here today to talk, to sort things out. To be **nice** , to check with you all, to just TALK!"  
Stephanie took a step forward - "You shouldn't have!"  
" **Let me speak!** I came here today because I-" his words ended abruptly. Glanni swallowed hard and fumbled to find the right phrases, "well, I- … I- I wanted to-" - he looked down at his hands as if they would give him the right way to say it.  
"He got worried about Robbie" filled Stephanie in soon, in a half-whisper to Sportacus, loud enough so Glanni could hear her. Glanni crossed his arms and laughed a ridiculously loud, obviously fake laugh -  
" **I. DID. NOT!** " he said emphatically while his ears got a pinkish tone. Stephanie took another step forward  
"Then can you explain why are you here then? You don't care at all! That's what's going on here!"

Glanni initially looked like he was going to strangle Stephanie, but instead he took a deep breath, straightened up and smoothed out his hair, and said quietly  
"You know what, **fine** , I don't care! I'll leave!"

Glanni turned and began to walk away irritated when Sportacus ran up to him, and stood in his way -

"No! Stop! Don't!"  
"Don't stand in my way Sporta _douche_!" - Glanni tried to move on but Sportacus stood in the way again  
"I really, really need to talk to you, it's serious, please"

Glanni looked glum, and pointed to Stephanie - "Only if **SHE** is quiet!"  
"Stephanie?"  
Stephanie put a finger on her lips and nodded.  
"Well then… Fine!" Glanni crossed his arms again and went back closer to the house with Sportacus by his heels.

"Please, tell me first why you're here, again"  
"... So, I woke up this morning, feeling completely fine by the way! But then I started thinking about yesterday and NO MATTER HOW MUCH I hate my brother! …" Glanni's shoulders dropped, "he's still my damn brother! … So naturally I need to know if… If he's, you know..."  
"You wanted to make sure he was okay?" filled Sportacus in gently  
"Not so much as if he was **okay** , but more like if he was **ALIVE** , you know? He's such an idiot so you never know, y'know, that idiot!?" - Glanni said everything very quickly and nervously, and finished with a nervous laugh that sounded more like a sneeze. Sportacus took no notice -  
"Then what?"  
"... So, the first place I thought of was here, of course, where all of **you** are. So I got here, knocked on the door, and little miss Pink comes out-" Glanni said with an evil look at Stephanie, "and so I asked her **gently** " - Stephanie shook her head violently in denial - "and **she** told me that my stupid, stinking brother wasn't here at all!"

Sportacus looked back at Stephanie who was a bit embarrassed, but tried not to show it.

"She told me that **you** had come back as usual yesterday and that you all had no idea where he was! It made me w- .. Well.. You see? NOT THAT I CARE ABOUT HIM… But I have SOME responsibility, I guess, so knowing he wasn't in his stupid lair, and that he wasn't here made just wonder… Where could he be...?"

Glanni now looked far past Stephanie and instead stared out at the pure white, luminous landscape of LazyTown. Sportacus gently put a hand on Glanni's shoulder, but Glanni shook it off with a snort and took a step back as if he had been burned.

" **SHE LIED!** " - he shouted - "just to see me suffer! I've never, **EVER** in my **life** -" he spat out, and was soon on his way towards Stephanie again with hands raised, but Sportacus stood in the way again -  
"But she told the truth then in the end?"  
"What even IS the truth!? I don't know anymore! She seemed so worried and confused as well, and then she started to laugh at me, telling me that he **IS HERE** , with **you** , and **laughed** at me!" Glanni clenched his jaws "she laughed like it was all some sort of **JOKE!** "

Stephanie stomped impatiently - "I'm **SORRY!** Okay!? I said I was sorry!"  
Glanni wrinkled his nose - "WELL I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!"  
"Stephanie, go inside"

Sportacus's voice was serious, so Stephanie obeyed without talking back to him, but stuck out her tongue at Glanni before she ran into the house. Sportacus stood opposite Glanni, who was still steaming mad.

"Glanni-"  
"WHAT!?"  
"You need to calm down-"  
"I AM VERY CALM!"  
"You're not, please calm down" - Sportacus tilted his head with a worried look  
"I-... SHE-.. **YOU-**... **ARGH!** "

Glanni turned and kicked a garbage can that was nearby. It flew up in the air and then landed a couple of meters away. Glanni ran up to it with a scream and kicked it once again, and again, and jumped on it, and struck it with his healthy hand (though it hurt) and his damaged hand (which hurt even more). In the end the garbage can was almost completely flat. Glanni then walked a few angry laps around it before he went back and sat on it with his head in his hands, breathing heavily. Sportacus walked briskly up to him and smiled.

"How do you feel now?"  
Glanni answered with a deep sigh.

Sportacus sat right next Glanni on the garbage can. What should he say now?  
"He's here, Glanni, Robbie **is** here."

Glanni sat with his head in his hands and said nothing.  
"He is safe, it's okay, it's all ok-"  
"NO, it's **NOT OKAY!** " Glanni rose so quickly that Sportacus almost fell off the flat, uncomfortable garbage can - "it's never okay with us, we both- And he- _Youknowhat_ nevermind…"

Glanni stood with his back against Sportacus and had his arms crossed. Sportacus rose slowly.

"How's your hand?"  
"Is'fine"  
"What happened yesterday?"  
"Nothing… It's silly"  
"I really want to know actually"  
"You don't need to, is'fine"  
"I would help if I knew, see since you're **both** hurt"

This finally got Glanni to turn around and stare at Sportacus

"He's hurt!?"  
"Didn't Stephanie tell you that?"

Glanni began quickly pacing back and forth, cursing to himself.

"Glanni-"  
"Is it bad?"  
"Well-"  
"Tell me it isn't bad"  
"He-"  
"And don't you **DARE** TELL the kids that I'm **this** worried about him!"

That was apparently something he had suddenly realised in the moment. His whole body froze as he pointed at Sportacus with his whole, healthy hand. Sportacus could not help but smile a bit -

"I promise. Now, if you relax for a bit, would you like to come inside?"  
"... What?"  
"Would you like to come inside and see him?"  
Glanni hesitated and frowned - "are the kids there?"  
"I can beg them to go outside if you want to"

Glanni stamped his foot and frowned some more.

"You wanna see your brother?"  
"... Yes"

* * *

 **NOTES** :

Writing angry characters is fun!

Glanni is a mean character. He's more than a villain, he's a criminal. So for him to panic is rare; He's seen it all, he's been in the middle of it all before.  
But he has never turned his back against his brother like this before. At the same time, he didn't wan't to talk to anyone else about it either.  
He is, dare I say it, ashamed..? Oh Glanni, you're such a complex and sad character. Get a life!

Please R&R ~


	4. CHAPTER THREE - The Unsolvable

**CHAPTER THREE  
** \- The Unsolvable

Glanni refused to enter until Sportacus first had gotten rid of all the kids, so he had to take care of that first. When Sportacus went back in, he was somewhat surprised to see all the children standing around the couch, carefully studying Robbie who was still asleep, all somewhat inaudible whispering things and theories about what he had experienced. Sportacus couldn't help but laugh quietly to himself, then sneak up and gently whisper -  
"Is it interesting?"

All the children were startled but kept quiet. Trixie explained that they decided to keep an eye on him while Sportacus was out, just in case. It was then Sportacus noticed that Stephanie wasn't in the the cluster around the couch.

"Where's she?"  
"In her room, I think, being sulky, dunno why. She just ran inside and started shouting and when we told her to be quiet she just stormed away "- replied Trixie and shrugged  
"I see ... I think I'll go check on her, you wanna continue watching him for a little while longer?"  
"With pleasure!"

 **-knock knock knock-**

Stephanie's door was closed. It also seemed to remain closed.

 **-knock knock knock-**

"Go away!" - Stephanie shouted  
"It's me, do you wanna talk?"  
"No!"  
"... Are you okay?"  
"Leave me alone!"  
"Please, can I come in?"

Sportacus waited for a short while, but got no answer. He was just about to leave when he heard her open the door to her room. She had a gloomy face when she let Sportacus inside. He sat down on the edge of her bed with his hands in his lap. Stephanie sat down at the head end of the bed with her head resting on her knees, clearly angry.

"So" - Sportacus began gently while patting with his fingers on his knees - "how are you?"  
"He's awful..."  
"You mean, Glanni?"

Stephanie turned her head and looked at Sportacus with a serious face - "I don't understand how such a mean spirited and evil man could be of the same family as…" - she frowned - "Robbie!?"  
"You mean that Robbie isn't mean spirited and evil?" Sportacus said with a laugh.  
"No!? … Not in that way" - She rubbed her arms. Sportacus could see large bruises that began to appear on them, and he looked at her with compassion.

"I think..." he began cautiously "... I honestly believe Glanni was **very** worried, and scared. Some people can't handle those emotions too well. So they become angry and hard to talk to instead, they're trying to understand why they feel like they do."  
"If he's so worried then why didn't he care yesterday?"

Sportacus was silent for a while, unable to give a concrete answer. For he wondered about the exact same thing.

"We… We don't know so much yet about their relationship to each other as brothers. We don't know if they usually fight, or how they connect? Maybe there really was just a huge misunderstanding, and they-"  
"Why do you keep defending him?"- Stephanie now sat flat on the bed and watched Sportacus in surprise  
"I- what?"  
"You keep saying I should try to 'understand' him, and see it from his point of view. But maybe I don't want that? Maybe he **has** no reason? Maybe he's just a big douche, have you even thought about that?"  
"Stephanie, I didn't-"  
"He hurt me, for real this time! I wasn't being mean, I was just trying to help, tried doing **something** and- just-" - she found it difficult to form words as she slowly started to cry in frustration.  
"I believe you, it's just that-" Sportacus tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she recoiled

"No! No you don't!" Stephanie took up one of her pillows and threw it at him, but Sportacus managed to duck and instead it flew into the wall behind him, "I'm tired of him, he's just ruining everything! He's ruining us, he ruined our Christmas, he's ruining LazyTown and he's ruining Robbie! You **can't** keep defending him!"  
"Stephanie?"  
"Get out!" - She took her second pillow and threw it at him too. Sportacus caught it, but got up and backed slowly towards her door while she got up and tried to push him out while still maintaining a certain distance. At the doorway he stopped. Stephanie dried her tears and refused to look at him.

"Stephanie, I- … Well, um"  
"Get out!"  
"Actually... Maybe **you** should get out for a while, in the snow? With the others? It's beautiful weather outside?" - Stephanie stood still and stared into the ground with her arms at her sides. She bit her lip and was boiling inside. Sportacus took a deep breath and still held her pillow with a firm grip - "and I also promised Glanni to come inside for a bit, so maybe you-"

Stephanie took a quick, angry glance at him which made him quiet, before she pushed past him with a shove and walked out of her room, into the hallway where she in a hurry put on her shoes, took her jacket and went out with a hard bang in the door such so the windows rattled. Sportacus breathed out, and threw the pillow that he desperately had clung onto like a shield.

"Well, that could've gone better..."

Stephanie slamming the door had apparently awoken Robbie as the children soon came quietly and fetched Sportacus. Sportacus then begged them all to go out for the rest of the day, and they all obeyed nicely, partly because it really was nice weather, and partly to locate Stephanie and try to calm her down. As soon as they were out Sportacus waved in Glanni who stood and hid by a tree behind the house. He came inside and then stood sheepishly in the doorway and closed the door behind him.

"Come in, take off your shoes"

Sportacus knelt by Robbie who lazily blinked into the back of the couch.

"How are you feeling?"  
"Mh?"  
"Did you sleep well?"  
"I never do"  
"Did the kids wake you up?"  
"... What?"  
Sportacus laughed - "Nothing"

He slowly helped Robbie to sit up. At the same time, he heard quick steps behind him from his guest who ran past the room into the kitchen instead. Robbie was disheveled and annoyed at his messy hair and his now dirty clothing which wasn't at all comfortable to sleep in. Sportacus offered to find something else for him, but Robbie frantic declined the offer with fear of getting something he didn't want to wear. Sportacus lighted a new fire in the fireplace, mostly because a fire is cosy, while Robbie focused on staying awake.

"Do you want something to eat?"  
Robbie put his head in his hands - "No."  
"You should eat something"  
"Go away"  
"I'll be back soon, with a surprise" - Robbie looked up at him with a curious face. Sportacus winked at him (which made Robbie involuntarily blush, as usual). Then he ran into the kitchen just as he heard Robbie shouting in the background that he 'wasn't interested in any sportscandy, thanks!'

Glanni stood against the wall in the kitchen nervously biting his nails and studying the wallpaper when Sportacus came in. Sportacus also started to lean against the wall in the same way with a grin, to tease the moody guy he had in front of him.

"Hey!" - Glanni gave a cheeky look back - "don't you wanna talk to him?"  
"Sure I do ... Soon"

Sportacus smiled and stood up again. To his surprise the whole room briefly spun around him and he was soon forced to take support against the wall with one hand to calm himself down.

"You okay Spark?" - Glanni stopped biting his nails  
"Yeah, I'm fine"  
"What was that about?"  
"I… I haven't eaten anything today" - Sportacus sounded surprised, because he was. It had happened so much in such short time, and he hadn't had any time to actually eat.  
Glanni snorted - "Weakling ..."

Sportacus decided to prepare something to eat for himself while Glanni took courage and went out into the living room again, mostly to avoid having to eat something himself and to avoid doing anything if now Sportacus would ask him for help, and partly because Sportacus urged him to actually go in and talk to his brother. Glanni soon figured it was better to talk to him when Sporta _nerd_ wasn't there.

Robbie sat on the couch folded in his blanket and looked out the window. Glanni could see the children playing outside. Who needs TV when you have children that builds snowball war zones instead and additionally are playing with great empathy? Glanni smiled softly -

"You are such a sissy… No, don't stand up, for Johnny's sake!" he was forced to add when Robbie was about to do just that. Instead Glanni came and stood by the side of the couch.  
"What are you doing here?" asked Robbie with shaky voice. Glanni didn't answer. He stared instead angrily at his brother with crossed arms. Robbie looked back with wide eyes at first, but soon he became uncomfortable, and even more confused.

"... What?"  
"What?" - Glanni raised an eyebrow  
"What is it?"  
"What is it?"  
"Glanni!"  
"Be cool, it's nothing"  
"Will you stop it then?"  
"Stop what?"  
"Quit staring at me!"

Glanni finally laughed a judgemental laugh but looked away anyway. Robbie nervously shifted position on the couch and winced when he happened to move his shoulder at bit too much. This got Glanni studying him again.

"You okay?"

Robbie slowly lifted his head and looked at his brother as if he just had turned into a large potato.

Glanni frowned - "What!?"  
"Why are you asking?"  
"Shouldn't I?"  
Robbie snorted - "No!? You don't care?"  
"Of course I care?" - Glanni went angrily closer to Robbie and leaned over him with gritted teeth, Robbie flinched at first, but then just gently shook his head - "why wouldn't **I** care!?"

It was now that Robbie saw Glanni's hand, still wrapped in somewhat dirty and bloody bandages. He grabbed it with his own healthy hand.

"What have you **done**!?"

It took some time for Glanni to react, but then he pulled his hand back and stared down at his brother with a determined look.

"What are you talking about?"  
"Y-Your hand?"  
"Yes, what about it?" - Glanni could feel the irritation building inside him.  
"You're hurt?"  
"Yes? So are-"  
"How!?  
"You KNOW why I am hurt!"  
"I- No I don't!" - Robbie sounded flustered and had a sad look on his face.  
"YES YOU- ... " - Glanni stopped in the middle of the sentence and rolled his eyes. He quickly came over and sat down next to Robbie who again flinched and scooted away a bit until he was sitting on the very edge of the sofa with his blanket.

"We were talking yesterday"  
"Yes?"  
"You remember that?"  
"... No"  
"Have you gone completely mad!? What's the last thing you remember?"

Robbie opened his mouth, but closed it again. He repeated this a few times before he instead looked extremely confused and miserable. Glanni took the opportunity to study the part of Robbie that wasn't hidden under a large blanket. As Robbie couldn't answer he decided to change the subject somewhat -

"Does it hurt?"  
"What?" - Robbie was snatched out from his thoughts.  
Glanni put a finger on Robbie's arm wrapped in an Esmarch bandage without poking particularly hard. - "Your arm"  
"No, I'm wearing this because it's stylish" - Robbie slapped Glanni's fingers away - "of course it hurts you dimwit!"  
"How did you break it?"  
Robbie rolled his eyes - "It's not broken..."  
"Too bad" Glanni said in an uninterested tone and leaned back on the couch - "you would've looked dapper with a cast"  
"How did YOU get hurt?" Robbie spat out and nodded toward Glanni's hand again, "you didn't tell me!"  
"Oh it's…" - for a second Glanni was tempted to say that it was Robbie's merit, that it was his fault. But something made him hesitate - "... It was… I cut myself"  
Robbie frowned - "You're lying"  
"Yes, I am. Was it cold yesterday?"

Robbie was about to say something, but changed his mind and remained silent. He looked instead at his brother and blinked stupidly as if Glanni had just been talking a foreign language.

"Do you even remember the storm yesterday?"  
Robbie's eyes widened - "there was a storm yesterday!?"

They both suddenly heard a laugh from the doorway and turned around. Sportacus stood there, grinning at them both. Glanni stood demonstratively up again and walked over to the wall where he crossed his arms. Robbie looked confused at him. Then he looked at Sportacus. Then his brother again.

"What are you talking about!?" he shouted, frustrated with the the whole conversation.

Glanni punched hard into the wall with his healthy hand, turned and rushed back to the couch, over the armrest, sneaky and with ease as a weasel, and close to Robbie's face he hissed -

" _Yes there was a storm yesterday and you are a bloody idiot, that's what I'm talking about!_ "

Robbie flinched again and began to quickly move backwards, but he was far out on the edge, and when he went backwards, he suddenly noticed that the couch ended under his blanket. The result was that he suddenly put his healthy hand in thin air and fell helplessly backwards. Glanni did nothing to prevent it, but Sportacus could react quickly enough to catch Robbie before he pounded his head into the ground.

"Are you okay!?"

Robbie did, however, hit his injured arm on the floor, and he could not prevent a tear of pure pain break through when he winced and rolled up into Sportacus arms for protection against his distress. Despite this, he said -

"Mhm! Mmmhm! It's fine, I'm.. Fine"  
Glanni raised an eyebrow - "Yes, you clearly look and sound like someone who's healthy and sane and not in pain at all" Sportacus gave him a harsh look, but then returned to Robbie who wheezed in his lap.

Sportacus soon got up and pulled Robbie slowly with him - "Can you stand?"  
Robbie opened his eyes slowly and peered at Sportacus - "I- I ... No" - He shook his head, which was stupid, because if he wasn't dizzy before he suddenly became just that. Sportacus quickly changed tactics and lifted Robbie up in his arms instead. Glanni had now gone up from the couch and stood by the window further away, watching the children, who apparently now were building an amusement park in snow.

Sportacus slowly put Robbie back down on the couch again, but couldn't get up before Robbie had taken a firm grip on the collar of his west, pulling him closer towards Robbie.  
"Woah, wha-"  
"Sporty, help me! He's right, I've gone mad!" he hissed with panic in his voice  
"What?"  
"I can't remember anything- Anything at all! I don't even remember the last thing I remember and I can't remember why he's mad, and that makes him even more mad, and that's **bad!** "  
"Robbie calm down" - Sportacus sat down beside his friend and took his hand in his own calm hands  
"I can't! What if I've done something horrible!? It feels like I've done something horrible! But I don't know, it's … _Ghh_.." - he soon stopped talking when the headache took over and he bowed down his head instead - "Nevermind…"

Sportacus looked anxiously at him and put a hand on Robbie's cheek. This made Robbie look up at him. Sportacus removed a few hairs from Robbie's field of view and then put his hand on Robbie's cheek again. Sportacus could feel how Robbie's hand in his other hand twitched nervously. Sportacus smiled calmly and said -

"You don't have to think about anything at the moment, okay?"  
Robbie frowned - "But-"  
"No! Not anything, okay? All you need" - Sportacus poked lightly on Robbie's forehead - "is rest. All you're going to do" - He poked at Robbie's nose - "is sleep". Robbie snorted and turned his head away. He still looked worried. Sportacus opened his arms, "come here"  
Robbie stared at him - "What?"  
Sportacus just laughed softly - "Let me hug you"

Robbie blinked and then turned to see what Glanni was doing, but he still stood by the window, apparently allowing the two of them a bit of privacy for once, or maybe he was just deep in his own thoughts. Then Robbie looked at Sportacus again. Eventually he gave up and took a deep breath as he let Sportacus embrace him.

It was a long time ago since they hugged each other. The last time they had been standing opposite each other and hugged to loud music, both had embraced each other and both had laughed. It had been warm, it had been fun and it had been all the butterflies in the world swirling inside of Robbie. But now there were no butterflies. Robbie's arm was useless for hugs, everything hurt and he wasn't laughing. But it was incredibly reassuring to finally hug again. Robbie closed his eyes and let his head rest on Sportacus' shoulder. He took a deep, slow breath. Sportacus still smelled like apples. Sportacus was warm, and he was very gentle and tender with the way he was holding Robbie. Maybe he was right, maybe Robbie didn't even need to care or think for the moment? Maybe it was just best to relax for some time… To just **be** …

When Sportacus released the hug Robbie felt exhausted. He closed his eyes and felt very heavy in his head. He leaned against the couch and decided to rest for a while... Just for a while... He could feel Sportacus getting up from the couch, and he could feel someone putting the blanket on him again. So warm and safe... So nice to sleep for a while…

Sportacus felt very proud that he managed to calm Robbie down and letting him sleep some more. He let out a deep sigh and rubbed his eyes. He then looked over to the brother who was still standing by the window, and walked up to it to have a look himself. The kids were now writing stuff in the snow. Stephanie and Pixel sat on a large stone farther away and talked. Sportacus felt how he got a heavy stone in his chest. Right, yes, he must talk to her too.

"Cute" - Glanni said soon, breaking the silence.  
Sportacus laughed lightly at the kids who right now had arranged a hunt for Stingy who deliberately had destroyed Trixie's monologue she'd written in the snow - "Yes, aren't they?"  
"I'm not talking about them…"

Sportacus frowned and looked at Glanni who had turned and was looking back at Sportacus with a neutral face. Sportacus didn't quite understand - "What are you-"  
"I should go"

Glanni suddenly turned and walk out to the hallway, and started to put on on his shoes. Sportacus followed as he also wanted to go outside. But Glanni gave him such a look that he decided to keep a certain distance to him.

"Well then, how are you feeling now?" - he said instead, trying to sound cheerful. Glanni had just taken his coat and stopped in the movement.  
Then he looked up at Sportacus - "Goodbye" - then he went.

Sportacus stood there for a while, completely confused and put his hands at his hips - "This is going to be an extremely long day, isn't it?"

* * *

 **NOTES:**

My longest chapter yet. Woohoo!

The way Stephanie behaves is a lot taken from my own brain when I was 13. I was a monster at times, being angry and pissed off at things that could've been resolved by simply calming down. Christ, it feels like it was a million years ago...

The part when Robbie remember the last time he and Sportacus hugged is also something quite personal I decided to add. You see, I danced in just that way with someone a few days ago. It was so simple, yet felt so fantastic, and I felt that I just needed these two lovebirds to have danced like that at least once themselves.

Glanni is having A LOT of thoughts during the later part of this chapter, but I decided to not write from his perspective. You will all get to know what he's thinking about eventually anyway.

R&R please! ~


	5. CHAPTER FOUR - The Tension

**CHAPTER FOUR  
** \- The Tension

Sportacus was about to talk to Stephanie, he really was, but when he came out he saw them all playing together and laugh, even her, and he suddenly felt that the best thing would be to leave them alone. Meddling hadn't worked so well so far. Instead, he spent some alone time out in the fresh air, among the trees and the cold. He made a couple of exercises over the school yard and then spent time cleaning some snow off the roads, acting like a human snowplow. He slipped on the ice at one point, but nobody was there to see him, which he thought was good.

That same evening, just before the grown-ups came home, he went down again, partly because he had promised Robbie to help him home. He met Stephanie when she opened the door.

"Hi Stephanie!"  
"Hi..."

She turned to go, but Sportacus asked if she wanted to talk.

"No…"  
"Well… I want to! I just… I- I don't know what to say, but-"  
" _PSSST_!"

He heard a sound behind him and turned around. Robbie sat and was watching them over the back of the couch and mouthed something that looked like-  
" _Eh uh uu ooh-u_!"

Sportacus shook discreetly on his head and didn't understood. Robbie rolled his eyes and exaggerated his mouth movements when he tried again-  
" _L 'uur youu oooh-eeeh_!"

Sportacus still didn't understand. Stephanie became impatient.  
"What are you looking at?"

She turned to the couch, but Robbie quickly laid down and pretended to sleep where he sat, complete with high snoring. Stephanie had a face that clearly said that she didn't believe it.

"Well! Just ... I wanted to -" Sportacus started to mutter. As soon as Stephanie turned to him again, Robbie started gesturing for him to continue.

"... I wanted to… Apologise?" - Robbie raised his thumb on his healthy arm - "... And ask, if we could-" Robbie shook his head sharply, but it hurt so he stopped quickly "... We could NOT, I mean, we shouldn't speak!"  
"What..?"  
"I mean! We should..."

Robbie began to whisper loudly-  
" _Tell… Her… You're… Sorry…_ "  
"Tell you, you're sorry" - Robbie did a small, discreet facepalm - " _What!?_ "  
Stephanie frowned - "What?"  
"I'M SORRY! I mean!"  
Robbie forgot to be discreet and exclaimed "Finally!" Before he dandy (but carefully) fell down on the couch again.  
Stephanie just sighed.

"I really mean it, I didn't know what to say before and it all come out very wrong. Can you forgive me?"  
Stephanie looked down at her feet - "I'm sorry too..."

Sportacus smiled a wide smile -  
"Apology expected!"  
"It's 'accepted' "  
"Yes, I... Meant that"  
Robbie uttered a loud laughter from behind the couch.

At last, Stephanie also started to laugh,  
"Hey, you wanna play tomorrow?"  
"Of course!"

 **-X-**

Robbie felt uncomfortable when they were going home. Dirty, ragged clothes, hurt everywhere, plus Sportacus as his companion to carry him home! Although Robbie was able to walk for himself, it would take much longer time and unnecessary energy from him, so they both agreed (though not without unbelievable protests from Robbie) that Sportacus would carry him home. Sportacus has asked if it didn't make Robbie happy that he didn't have to walk - "lazier than that is almost impossible to get!" - but Robbie had only blushed and muttered something about personal space.

On the way to the lair, Sportacus could not help but apologise.

Robbie raised his eyebrows - "YOU'RE apologising!? ... For what!?"  
"Everything, I guess? It feels like I've done nothing but mistakes these last two days"  
"Mistakes ..?"  
"It was a mistake to not keep in contact with the two of you yesterday. It was a mistake to not follow Stephanie outdoors. It was a mistake to handle her the way I did and it was probably a mistake to let your brother see you today. I'm just... I'm sorry..."  
"Don't be..." - Robbie sounded absent  
"I guess I just wanted to help..."  
Robbie raised a finger - "You did, but you tried to help the wrong person when it comes to my stinky brother... You can't help him. No one can. He was like that when we were younger too, before they..."

Silence.  
"Before they...?"  
Robbie was brought back from his thoughts - "They what?"  
"You said something, before they what?"  
Robbie was pale - "It's nothing..."

They were quiet for a while. There were plus degrees outside, but it didn't feel like it in the cold, deep night. The snow creaked under Sportacus shoes and he walked unusually slow (being Sportacus and all) because he was full of thoughts. Robbie was thinking that he thought way too much so he hurried to say -

"I- I don't think you've done any mistakes"  
Sportacus smiled gratefully for the compliment, but then became gloomy again - "But he-"  
"No!" - Robbie raised a finger to silence Sportacus, who almost stopped by surprise - " **HE** makes everyone feel miserable, he makes **EVERYONE** feel like they are a... I mean, like they've **made** a huge mistake, always, whenever, wherever."  
Sportacus looked worried - "Is he really that evil?"

Robbie couldn't help but laugh - "Okay, so! Picture me when you were new here, remember?"  
Sportacus smiled at the memories - "Yes, of course"  
"Well, imagine that but times fifty, or something. That's how evil he is! ... Or trying to be at least. Everything bad that has happened lately is because of **him** , not you. You've done as good as you could've done!"

Although Robbie sounded aggressive, it was well-meaning words, Sportacus knew that. He took a deep breath and released some of the tension he had felt in his body all day. If Robbie made such a hassle to cheer him up, it certainly wasn't as bad as he imagined it.

"Thanks Robbie"  
Robbie blushed - "... You're welcome. Now stop moping and get me home!"

 **-X-**

The following days were going very well. Robbie was mostly sleeping and really trying to recover for once, as he had promised Sportacus to rest and be strong enough to celebrate New Year's Eve with them. Glanni was not down there so often in Robbie's lair, but mostly out doing... Something, Robbie had no idea what his brother was doing during the days to be honest.

Sportacus decided, without Robbie's permission, to come down to take care of Robbie at least once each day, so he wouldn't be alone down there. Robbie enjoyed being alone, but he enjoyed the company of Sportacus just as much, although it hurt his ego to admit it.

At the beginning, Sportacus mostly watched Robbie while he was asleep and talked to him while he was awake. Sometimes he cleaned the place, but when he noticed that Glanni was in a hurry to make the place a mess the day after, it just felt unnecessary. After a couple of days, Robbie was stronger and they both could sit and talk longer and laugh together. Sportacus helped to cook (not because Robbie wanted it, ABSOLUTELY NOT), complained that Robbie did not have a proper bed, asked questions about the brother's childhood (he never got to know anything exciting however) and they both spoke seriously about the children in LazyTown since everyone now began to become teenagers.

"I wonder how you were as a teenager Robbie!"  
"Oh, trust me, you DON'T want to know that!"

Glanni, on the other hand, treated Sportacus like the plague. Every day, he tried to destroy what Sportacus had done during the day, whether it was meals, cleaning up or polishing their stuff. He always avoided Sportacus's eyes and seemed to treat him as the worst person in the universe. Robbie never said anything, but Sportacus could swear that Glanni behaved like a jackass towards Robbie as soon as Sportacus left the lair each day.

The day before New Year's Eve when Sportacus came down in the lair, he finally had enough. Glanni was about to go out, as usual when Sportacus got there, when Sportacus grabbed his wrist easily but firmly and asked -

"Have I done something wrong?"

He could hear Robbie whisper something like ' _what are you doing!?_ ' from his chair, but Sportacus ignored him. Glanni stood still with his back against him, before he drew back his hand and quietly said -

"I guess not..."  
"Why are you avoiding me?"  
" _Bye~_ " - Glanni waved to him, still without looking at him, then he went out.

"OH WOW!" - Robbie shouted from his chair. Sportacus went up to him with a surprised face -  
"What?"  
"That could've gone SO MUCH worse!"  
"Why is he behaving like that?"  
"Be glad that he's avoiding you and not trying to kill you!"  
"I don't get it..." - Sportacus shrugged and looked confused  
"And you never will"

Robbie had no memory of what had happened on Christmas Eve, which in secret pleased Glanni since he didn't have to be ashamed of anything. He could even lie completely about what had happened between the two of them down there that night if he wanted to, but now he kept himself away. Sportacus instead told Robbie everything he himself knew about what had happened.

"So, I... Fell?"  
Sportacus nodded - "Apparently"

They sat down both of them, Robbie in his chair and Sportacus on the floor in front of him. They had talked a lot about Christmas Eve and Robbie had been both interested and incredibly shameful. Sportacus could not understand why he was ashamed, it wasn't his fault that he had fallen? But when he said that, Robbie became even quieter and more introvert so that discussion died quickly. Instead, Sportacus told him he must wish Robbie "get well" from all the children. The snow had mostly disappeared by now, but before it did, they'd all found the staircase that Robbie had fallen from (and both laughed at and become horrified by the marks in the snow after his fall), and they all immediately had begged Sportacus to wish Robbie to get better soon. Robbie got a strange facial expression by hearing this.

"What's wrong?"  
"N-nothing"  
"You look like you've seen a ghost"  
Robbie frowned and looked away - "N-no no, it's just... Do they really care?"  
"You mean the kids?"  
"Yes? ... I sort of ruined their Christmas, didn't I?"

Sportacus sighed - "Robbie, they love you. I thought you knew that by now?"  
Robbie could not prevent a smile from blooming on his face - "Sure, I guess"

It was, as said, the day before New Year's Eve and Sportacus had arrived that day especially to ask Robbie if he felt better and ready to celebrate with the others -  
"WITHOUT any blood or concussions or madness this time!" he admonished.

Robbie glanced at his still wrapped up arm - "That'd be nice..."  
"Have you asked your brother?"  
"Well, yea.. He declined. He said something about that I wouldn't nag at him anymore or else he would throw screws at me..."  
Sportacus blinked stupidly - "I don't get it"  
"Neither do I! And apparently it made him even angrier that I didn't understand him and... I haven't talked to him since then..."  
"When was that?"  
"Yesterday..."

It was quiet for a while. Sportacus could see how Robbie thought heavily about something. He leaned forward and put a calm hand on Robbie's knee -  
"Is it okay for you if he isn't there?"  
Robbie couldn't help but laugh - "Are you kidding me!? I'd LOVE to not have him there! Running around and ruining everything and making everyone sad with his moody, stupid face!"  
They both laughed.

"How's the pink-haired one?"  
"Oh" - Sportacus cleared his throat - "She's fine..."  
"What's that face, Sporty?"  
"Well, we talked yesterday, she and I, and we had a lot to talk about apparently! Really interesting stuff..."

There was silence

"Go on, Sporty!"  
"Well, yeah, we talked."  
"... Yes, you talked to her?"  
"Yes, yes I did"  
"... And?"

Sportacus gave Robbie a nervous look. They had eye contact for a moment before Sportacus turned his eyes away and scratched his neck. Robbie began impatiently rocking in his chair.

"What!? What happened, tell me!" - he said, boxing Sportacus lightly on his shoulder.  
Sportacus just turned his head away and started laughing. Unable to say anything. At last he shook his head.

"No, no I can't!  
"But-"  
"We're fine now! She apologised properly and I apologised properly and we talked a lot and laughed and it's all okay. By the way, all the kids will be there tomorrow. We will light a bonfire and then we will watch the fireworks. It'll be fun!"

Robbie stopped jumping - "Was that it? What about your reaction just now?"  
"Oh, it's-" Sportacus said, but couldn't continue - "It's nothing"  
"COME ON!"  
"No, YOU come on!" - Sportacus jumped up and stood up - "You wanna go for a walk?"

Sportacus got up and held two friendly and welcoming hands to help Robbie get up. Robbie looked at him with big eyes. He had been bedridden (or, well, chair-ridden) for more or less a week now and had barely stood on his legs.

"... You serious?"  
"I'm always serious!"  
Robbie wrinkled his nose - "N-no? No you're not?"  
"True" - Sportacus agreed - "But now I am!"

Robbie put away the blanket he wore and took Sportacus's hand with his own healthy. Sportacus went slowly backwards and pulled Robbie forwards a bit and refused to let go. They didn't really know why, but they both started to laugh. What was so funny, nobody knew. It was just so nice to laugh. When they both stood up, Sportacus released Robbie's hand.

"You want me to get your coat?" Sportacus asked  
"Stop being such a gentleman" Robbie sighed - "I'm still the villain you know!"  
"Oh really? I thought Glanni was the new 'villain' here?"  
"Oh no, no! He's just the joker"

 **-X-**

It was uneasy to walk, Robbie's legs thought, but they obeyed him surprisingly well. They only walked around Robbie's lair at first, but then Robbie felt safer going even further. They ended up walking around almost the entire town. It was evening and all street lamps were lit.

"Look! It's insane..."  
"What?"  
"They still haven't fixed that lamppost since you broke it a year ago"  
"That IS insane!"

They both laughed.

"Maybe I should break some more of them, so they really HAVE to change them all!"  
"Is that a good plan, you think?"  
Robbie's grin disappeared - "No, I guess not"

They walked and walked and began to talk about everything and everyone. At ease, Robbie felt like it was before, as if Glanni had never arrived at LazyTown. This easy, happy, fluttering feeling - The happy laugh that bubbled up inside him as soon as he and Sportacus were alone together - The simple ease of not having to hide when he blushed and to not be ashamed of his laughter - The wonderful feeling of security and freedom.

But as soon as he lowered his eyes and saw his arm it all disappeared. Instead, everything felt dull, heavy, too stubborn to deal with. Everything felt awkward, pushed and stupid, sad and blue...

"Robbie?"

Robbie noticed that he had stopped walking, staring at his damaged arm. Sportacus, who had walked further ahead and not noticed that Robbie had stopped, walked up to him.

"What's the matter?"  
Robbie stuttered - "I... Um..."  
"Are you hurt?"  
Sportacus put one hand on Robbie's injured arm. Robbie pulled it back and stared at Sportacus. They looked at each other for a while. Sportacus was unusually close. Robbie could see his breath in the cold.

"Well? Are you?"  
"Yes..."  
"What!?"  
Robbie started to back away from Sportacus - "I mean no! No no, no, I'm fine, absolutely-"

Robbie tripped on something and was about to fall backwards. Sportacus was there in a second and caught him, his arms firmly around Robbie's body. Their faces were incredibly close to each other.

"- fine..."  
"I caught you!"  
"... Yes"  
Sportacus looked worried - "Are you okay?"  
"Why weren't you here to catch me during Christmas...?"

Sportacus smiled sadly. His ice-blue, troubled eyes stared into Robbie's soul and burned a hole in the back of his head.

"My head hurts..."  
"Let me take you home then!"

They walked to Robbie's lair slowly, close to each other. None of them said anything, but both of them were equally in deep thoughts.

If they both only knew they were thinking about the exact same thing.  
If they only knew that their whole walk together had been witnessed.  
If they both only knew that they had been stalked…

* * *

 **NOTES:**

HI LOVLIES! Long time no see?

Yes! I'm back! One year later and I'm ready to write! I can't promise I'll be as active as I was last year, but I have as a promise to myself to finish this whole story and all my other LazyTown-fanfics this year - So look forwards to that!

I'm very out of practice when it comes to writing stuff - So excuse me if there are errors and stuff that looks out of place. I can only get better, _n'est pas_?

Two more chapters left of this particular story. What will happen? With whom? You'll find out as soon as it's finished (it won't take another year, I promise!)

 _R &R please! ~_


End file.
